


each key speaks of history

by robinboys



Category: DC Comics, DCU
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Piano AU, tim plays piano to relieve stress tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-14 22:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4583082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinboys/pseuds/robinboys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>pianoAU where tim knows how to play the piano and then has an angsty moment and jason comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	each key speaks of history

**Author's Note:**

> drabble for gunsandhoods.tumblr.com she also made a drabble in response to mine here >> http://gunsandhoods.tumblr.com/post/126587979710/short-jasontim-drabble-for-broodingbird-that
> 
> also the links in the text takes you to the songs tim's playing

every time his fingers felt the cool black and white surface of the keys, relief and peace washed over tim. each note, melody, rhyme, was simple and raw. the music was cleansing. pure and untouched but by only the hands of the composer. and although tim wasn’t quite a master of the art. the little songs he did know how to play were enough. he could repeat the same piece over and over again and never get bored, never ceased to remain surprised and proud by his special and secret little talent.

the piano was a piece of him and only his. no one else knew, except maybe alfred. when he’d spend lonesome nights shaken and restless, struggling to grasp to any sort of stability around the manor he could find, the grand piano was there, hidden in the living spaces the family never seemed to share together. a part of him—of drake, he was able to explore and keep and he didn’t mind that he had to go at it alone, he was use to it. it was the same as when he was a child. the classes he took he use to hate. they were tedious and tim was never interested with the masters his parents provided, but now, they were gone. and this time, playing was different. something as small as picking up a hobby had tim feeling guilty for being so insolent, but now he learned to be grateful. grateful that he could relive memories with a simple act. and even though the instrument taunted him, forcing him to face the memories that pained him the most. it was a lesson. each stroke of a key spoke to him. they assured him that these memories would remain alive and he wouldn’t be alone.

despite feeling exhausted, it was three thirty-four am to be exact, he straightened his back, flipped the hood that hid the keys up and made sure to inspect every key’s tune. warm up took him awhile, but it gave him time to think of what [song](https://soundcloud.com/mora_kwill/domestic-pressures) he’d desire to play. once he did so tim timidly placed his fingers on the appropriate keys and slowly started. he never understood why he was so nervous to began playing when in the end he could never seem to stop himself. maybe he was afraid of sounding bad ? of his many short classes in the past fading from his memories, leaving him with lies. maybe he was afraid that it was all the dream and the sooner he started the sooner he’d wake up from his peace. the music droned out his negative thoughts and his stiff fingers relaxed. fingers that would usually ball into a fist to fight. fingers that’d cramp from each busy night in, had a chance to feel truly alive.

to truly experience the session tim closed his eyes, he didn’t need to see to feel. he could feel the vibrations run through the tips of his fingers and into his soul and the sounds in the atmosphere wrapped around his mind as if each note gently coddled his tired old head. he could sway and move as he pleased and there was no threatening stance he had to take or tense position he had to fake. to any other person he’d look like a patient of arkham’s. there was nothing graceful about bed hair and dark under eye circles. his movements were erratic and irregular as the song changed to a rather more rapid pace. and it was as if he were laying it all out. exploding over the keys, his fingers flying from one side of the other and tim didn’t realize he felt so upset and broken. his body shook and he struck at the instrument harshly. it sounded thunderously. the ambience of his previous song faded and tim awoke from his trance feeling afraid, angry, sad. all these emotions flaming up inside of him.

❛ that was so bad… ❜ he whispered. more to himself and as an apology to the piano than to the person who joined him beside him. tim removed his hands and slumped, a small frown forming on his features and eyes lost ahead of him. he wasn’t embarrassed by his performance, jason has heard him play plenty of times, but he was disappointed. he’s never been angry before while he was playing. it was all of a sudden. a short fit of rage that tim couldn’t quite comprehend. why was he angry ? there had to be a reason ? bruce was back. conner was back and so was steph and bart. why did he still feel so empty after everything ? jason didn’t say a word beside him except took the hands tim stuffed between his legs and set them on the keys. ❛ can you play the [song](https://www.youtube.com/v/hV2-zFh3tAU?autoplay=1) i like ? ❜ he asked softly. tim nodded and sighed. he knew which he spoke of. he started slow and he felt the warm ghosting of jason’s hands over his, following fluidly as if he’s memorized the song himself. tim’s played it so many times for him he wouldn’t be surprised if jason did end up knowing it. it was a nice song, it had a meaning behind it that both of them understood. it was one of tim’s favorite’s too, but the fact that jason took joy hearing it from tim made him feel especially inclined to love it even more.

a new feelings rose in tim, a feeling of safety and comfort. intimacy and love. being able to share his passion with jason made his lips twitch slightly into a smile. every movement was soft and gentle and there was nothing that could compare to this feeling tim was gaining. it was as if each touch of a key was a kiss to his finger tip from warm familiar lips.

he felt eyes bore into him, although soft and sleepy, they were still sharp and alert in a way. flickering from his hands to his face, and tim would side-eye him once in awhile to check. sometimes a stifled laugh couldn’t help but escape. being under such scrutiny was strange to tim. he was usually the one doing the analyze, not jason. whatever information jason was gathering from him, he probably wouldn’t ask about because he already knew what tim was feeling. maybe more than anyone he understood best… he wouldn’t push it for tim’s own sake. besides, playing always settled his problems. he would be okay afterwards.

there was no more anger in tim from what he could tell. no dark corners to light. it all left him towards the end. he felt sated once the final chord came. the last of the notes vibrations embedding themselves within tim’s palms and flowing through his veins. he sat motionless, hands still pressed into the now silent keys. he wasn’t waiting for anything to happen, just dragging on and holding the last of that quenched feeling. jason also held his hands there, until he felt it was the proper time to remove his hands and hold them within his. ❛ better? ❜ tim nodded and smiled. it wasn’t faked in anyway. he genuinely felt better. ❛ good. that was really nice tim. ❜

❛ er, thanks…i kinda messed up on one-— ❜

he felt his larger hands tighten around his wrists and bring them up to his face to kiss each digit kindly. tim just stared, slightly taken aback by his action. jason’s never really done that before. ❛ seriously, come on, don’t sell yourself short. i’m telling you it was really good. ❜ the younger wasn’t sure how to respond to the compliment. he didn’t believe he was any good really, he just nodded and tried to ignore the hot feeling creeping up his neck. ❛ pft, thanks. you know, i saw you following me too and it looks like you’re starting to memorize the song. impressive. ❜ he mentioned, quickly changing the subject from himself. jason just rolled his eyes noticing his trick and nuzzled into tim’s hands. reflexively, he cupped his face, feelings the heat emitting from his cheeks and stroked his thumb over his cheekbone. he felt a bit of stubble beginning to grow there. tim pulled his face in and leaned against his forehead. ❛ did i wake you ? ❜ jason shook his head, hands still curled loosely around his wrists. ❛ you know how me and sleep are, we aren’t exactly best friends. ❜ tim hummed. they sat for awhile together, just breathing and feeling each other’s existence. even though tim wasn’t playing he could still feel the presence of the music around them, faint, like a cloud over them, entrapping them, protecting them in a way and tim realized that he was grateful. grateful that he hasn’t lost himself in the depths of this world. in the darkness of it’s cruelty and hardships, that even two boys who’s succumbed to the mercy of life were still able to hold on to something, to each other and climb up together victoriously. not without a few loses and permanent damage, but they were here. alive. together. and didn’t that count for something ?


End file.
